Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharide Group Research Articles

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide alleviates DSS-induced chronic ulcerative colitis by restoring intestinal barrier function and modulating gut microbiota

Purpose This study examined the protective effects and mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) in the context of intestinal barrier function and intestinal microbiota in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced chronic ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods C57BL/6J male mice were assigned to a standard normal diet without DSS (control group), a normal diet with DSS (DSS group, 2% DSS given discontinuously for 3 weeks) or a normal diet supplemented with LBP (1% dry feed weight, LBP group, 2% DSS given discontinuously for 3 weeks) for a total of 8 weeks, at which point colonic tissues and caecal contents were collected. Results LBP exerted a significant effect against colitis by increasing body weight, colon length, DAI and histopathological scores. LBP inhibited proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS and TNF-α) expression, improved anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) expression, promoted the expression of tight junction proteins (Occludin and ZO-1) via nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation and decreased Claudin-2 expression to maintain the intestinal mucosal barrier. In addition, the abundances of some probiotics (Ruminococcaceae, Lactobacillus, Butyricicoccus, and Akkermansia) were decreased with DSS treatment but increased obviously with LBP treatment. And LBP reduced the abundance of conditional pathogens associated with UC (Mucispirillum and Sutterella). Furthermore, LBP improved the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and isobutyric acid. Conclusion LBP can alleviate DSS-induced UC by regulating inflammatory cytokines and tight junction proteins. Moreover, LBP promotes probiotics, suppresses conditional pathogens and increases SCFAs production, showing a strong prebiotic effect.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide promotes the immunoprotective effects of a recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum vaccine expressing the Trichinella spiralis cathepsin F-like protease 1 gene

Trichinellosis caused by Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis) is a zoonotic disease that poses a substantial risk to human health. At present, vaccines used to prevent trichinellosis are effective, but the production of antibody levels and immunogenicity are low. Adjuvants can increase antibody levels and vaccine immunogenicity. As a result, it is critical to develop an effective adjuvant for the T. spiralis vaccine. Recent research has shown that traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides with low-toxicity and biodegradability can act as adjuvants in vaccines. In this study, BALB/c mice were orally inoculated with a recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) vaccine expressing the T. spiralis cathepsin F-like protease 1 gene (rTs-CPF1), which was given three times at 10-day intervals. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) was administered orally for 37 days. At 37 days after the first immunization, mice were infected with 350 T. spiralis muscle larvae (ML). Specific IgG and sIgA antibody levels against the T. spiralis CPF1 protein were increased in mice immunized with rTs-CPF1+LBP compared to those immunized with rTs-CPF1 alone. Furthermore, LBP increased IFN-γ and IL-4 expression levels, and the number of intestinal and intramuscular worms was significantly reduced in the rTs-CPF1+LBP group compared to that in the rTs-CPF1 group. In the rTs-CPF1+LBP group, the reduction rates of adult worms and muscle larvae were 47.31 % and 68.88 %, respectively. To summarize, LBP promotes the immunoprotective effects of the T. spiralis vaccine and may be considered as a novel adjuvant in parasitic vaccines.

Feeding Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) alleviates apoptotic, inflammatory hepatopancreas atrophy and injury in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) poisoned by T-2 toxin

Chinese herbs and their purified components in aquafeeds have been proved effective to combat stress in aquatic animals to combat toxic environmental stress. Lycium barbarum poly-saccharides (LBP) is an active antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitoxic purified herbal agent. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of 0.1–2.0% LBP on the hepatopancreas of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) challenged with 2 mg/kg T-2 toxin orally for 5 weeks. The results showed that feeding LBP significantly restored the hepatopancreas index (HI), gonadsomatic index (GSI) reduced by T-2 toxin. Moreover, H&E sections indicated that LBP dose-dependently restored the disrupted microstructure of the hepatopancreas. In antioxidative capacity, significant increases in malondialdehyde (MDA) reduction and elevated glutathione (GSH) content, gluta-thione reductase (GPx) activity were seen in the 0.5% LBP group. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis rate of hepatopancreas showed the anti-apoptotic effect of LBP doses, plus qPCR assay of 10 apoptosis-related genes to support them. The mRNA abundance of three pro-inflammatory genes was significantly reduced by LBP, corroborating its anti-inflammatory efficacy. In brief, feed supplementation with LBP alleviated the oxidative stress-apoptosis-inflammation induced by co-feeding T-2 toxin in E. sinensis, maintained the structural and functional integrity of the hepatopancreas, prevented degenerative atrophy.

Effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on cytokines in adolescents with subthreshold depression: a randomized controlled study.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202409000-00036/figure1/v/2024-01-16T170235Z/r/image-tiff Strong evidence has accumulated to show a correlation between depression symptoms and inflammatory responses. Moreover, anti-inflammatory treatment has shown partial effectiveness in alleviating depression symptoms. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP), derived from Goji berries, exhibits notable antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. In our recent double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial, we found that LBP significantly reduced depressive symptoms in adolescents with subthreshold depression. It is presumed that the antidepressant effect of LBP may be associated with its influence on inflammatory cytokines. In the double-blinded randomized controlled trial, we enrolled 29 adolescents with subthreshold depression and randomly divided them into an LBP group and a placebo group. In the LBP group, adolescents were given 300 mg/d LBP. A 6-week follow up was completed by 24 adolescents, comprising 14 adolescents from the LBP group (15.36 ± 2.06 years, 3 men and 11 women) and 10 adolescents from the placebo group (14.9 ± 1.6 years, 2 men and 8 women). Our results showed that after 6 weeks of treatment, the interleukin-17A level in the LBP group was lower than that in the placebo group. Network analysis showed that LBP reduced the correlations and connectivity between inflammatory factors, which were associated with the improvement in depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that 6-week administration of LBP suppresses the immune response by reducing interleukin-17A level, thereby exerting an antidepressant effect.

Effects of dietary crude polysaccharides from Lycium barbarum on growth performance, digestion, and serum physiology and biochemistry of spotted sea bass Lateolabrax maculatus

High-quality development requires the aquaculture industry to reduce the use of chemicals and further improve feed efficiency, while the use of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is one of a potential way to achieve it. The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary LBP on growth performance, digestion, antioxidant capacity, hepatic and intestinal morphology, and serum lipids of spotted sea bass, Lateolabrax maculatus. A total of 450 spotted sea bass (20.64 ± 0.18) g were assigned to 18 tanks. Three tanks were defined as a group, and fish in each group were given diets with increasing level of LBP (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 and 1.25 g/kg) for 49 days, respectively. Results showed that dietary intake of LBP significantly improved the weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, amylase activity and lipase activity of spotted sea bass. However, no significant effect of LBP on fish superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde and catalase was observed. Dietary LBP alleviated ballooning degeneration and fat vacuoles in fish liver. However, mild inflammation was observed in 1 g/kg LBP group fish liver. Dietary LBP significantly increased the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of fish, and reduced the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. The expression of hepatic FAS and SREBP-1 were significantly down-regulate, and the expression of PPAR-α, CPT1, HSL, ATGL and LPL were significantly up-regulated by dietary LBP. This result reminder that dietary LBP may inhabit the synthesis of fatty acid, and promote the fatty acid oxidization and triglycerides hydrolyzation. In conclusion, dietary LBP improved growth performance, digestion, hepatic morphology, and serum biochemical parameters of spotted sea bass in size (20.64 ± 0.18) g. The optimal addition of LBP for spotted sea bass is about 1 g/kg based on the regression analysis.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide reduces lung cancer immunotherapy-related endocrine adverse reactions and improves prognosis via interleukin-2

This paper studies the mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) in adverse reactions after immunotherapy. Five groups including model group, low-dose LBP group, middle-dose LBP group, high-dose LBP group, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) inhibitor group were set up. Adverse reactions after immunotherapy were observed through staining, blood collection and related experiments. IL-2 content was detected by ELISA, RT-qPCR and Western blot. The correlation coefficient between adverse reactions and prognosis was analyzed by Pearson software. LBP improved the diarrhea after immunotherapy and inhibition of IL-2 made the diarrhea more serious. Neutrophils around the hair follicles in the high-dose LBP group were less while they were more in model group where the hair follicles were blocked. The follicles in model group were more swelled while the follicles of high-dose LBP group had fewer swollen follicles. The degree of liver damage was inversely proportional to the concentration of LBP and the inhibition of IL-2 increased liver damage. The increased LBP promoted the improvement of immune function. LBP had a positive correlation with IL-2 level. The expression of IL-2 and E-cadherin increased with increased LBP concentration. Further analysis showed a negative correlation between diarrhea, ALT activity and AST activity and E-cadherin expression. Positive correlation between CD4+/CD8+ level and E-cadherin was observed. Conclusively, LBP could reduce adverse reactions after immunotherapy and promote IL-2 expression. IL-2 is related to immune function and its decrease causes more serious adverse reactions after immunotherapy. Thus, LBP can control IL-2 expression to reduce the adverse reactions after immunotherapy.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides regulate AMPK/Sirt autophagy pathway to delay D-gal-induced premature ovarian failure

This study aims to explore the molecular mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides(LBP) in alleviating premature ovarian failure(POF) in mice via the 5'-adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase(AMPK)/silent information regulator 1(Sirt1) signaling pathway. The POF mouse model was established by D-galactose(D-gal) injection at the back. Six groups were set up, including a normal control group, a model group, a LBP group, a 3-MA(autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine) group, an AMPK inhibitor group, and a LBPAMPK inhibitor group, with 15 mice in each group. After 28 continuous days of administration, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to determine the levels of sex hormones [estradiol(E_2), luteinizing hormone(LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)] in serum. The ovarian mass coefficient was measured. Senescence-associated β-Galactosidase(SA-β-Gal) staining and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were performed for observing the state of ovarian senescence and the morphological changes of the ovary. Immunohistochemical method was used to measure the expression of the autophagy marker LC3-Ⅱ in ovarian tissue. Western blot was employed to measure the expression levels of the senescence marker p16~(INK4 a), autophagy markers(LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin-1), the autophagy substrate p62, lysosome-associated membrane protein 2(LAMP2), and the proteins in the AMPK/Sirt1 pathway and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1)/UNC-51-like kinase 1 Ser757 site(Ulk1 Ser757) pathway. Compared with the normal control group, the modeling of POF decreased the ovarian granulosa cells and follicles, led to the ovarian aging and severe sex hormone secretion disorders, weakened ovarian autophagy activity, and down-regulated the expression of proteins in the AMPK/Sirt1 pathway(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the treatment with LBP increased ovarian granulosa cells and follicles, alleviated aging and sex hormone disorders, increased autophagy activity, and activated the AMPK/Sirt1 pathway(P<0.05). Both 3-MA and AMPK inhibitor can inhibit autophagy and aggravate ovarian damage and aging in mice. AMPK inhibitor can partially attenuate the role of LBP in promoting autophagy activation and alleviating aging and ovarian tissue damage(P<0.05). LBP can alleviate the symptoms of POF induced by D-gal by promoting the activation of AMPK/Sirt1 pathway.

Improvement effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on the intestinal flora of pregnant rats and their offspring under chronic stress

Objective: To understand the improvement effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on the intestinal flora of mother mice during pregnancy and their offspring who experienced chronic stress, and provide new ideas for improving the effect of stress on the intestinal tract. Methods: From July to October 2019, 24 SPF-grade female SD rats were selected and divided into control group, stress group, and stress+LBP group, with 8 rats in each group. A chronic unpredictable mild stimulation model during pregnancy was established (21 days) , and 40 mg/kg LBP solution was administered by gavage on the 8th day of stress. Venous blood from the medial canthus of the female mice was collected on the 1st day before stress and on the 1st, 7th, 14th and 21st days, respectively. Cortisol was measured and corticosterone concentration was calculated. The fresh feces of famale mice after stress and 20-day postnatal offspring mice were collected, and Illumina Miseq sequencing technology, alpha diversity and community composition were used to analyze the diversity and structure of intestinal flora. Results: On the 7th and 14th days of stress, the plasma corticosterone concentration of female mice in the stress group and stress+LBP group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) . In the Alpha diversity of female mice, the Ace index of the stress group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05) . The analysis of intestinal flora structure showed that at the species level, the proportions of Lachnospiraceae and Lactobacillus in the stress+LBP group were higher than those in the stress group and control group. At the order level, the proportion of Clostridiales in the stress+LBP group was higher than that in the stress group and lower than that in the control group, while the proportion of Lactobacillales was higher than that in the stress group and control group. In the Alpha diversity of the offspring group, the Shannon index, Ace index and Chao index of the stress+LBP offspring group were higher than those of the stress offspring group (P<0.05) . The proportion of Lactobacillus in the stress+LBP offspring group was higher than that in the control offspring group and stress offspring group, and the proportions of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae in the stress+LBP offspring group were higher than those in the stress offspring group, the proportion of Bacteroidales in the stress+LBP offspring group was lower than that in the stress offspring group, and the proportion of Clostridiales in the stress+LBP offspring group was higher than that in the stress and control offspring groups. Conclusion: The intervention of LBP may improve the changes in the intestinal flora diversity, abundance and flora structure of mother mice and offspring caused by pregnancy stress, thereby maintaining the balance of intestinal flora.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides as Antibiotic Substitutes Improve Growth Performance, Serum Immunity, Antioxidant Status, and Intestinal Health for Weaned Piglets.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of dietary Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) supplementation on the growth performance, immune response, serum antioxidant status, and intestinal health of weaned piglets. In total, 24 crossed healthy weaned piglets [Duroc × (Yorkshire × Landrace)], of similar body weight (7.47 ± 0.22 kg), were randomly allocated to three treatment groups: CON (basal diet); LBPs (basal diet plus 4,000 mg/kg LBPs); and antibiotic (ABO, basal diet plus 20 mg/kg flavomycin and 50 mg/kg quinocetone). There were eight pigs per group. The study lasted 28 days. When compared with CON, LBPs or ABO dietary supplementation increased average daily gain (P < 0.05), decreased the ratio of feed to gain and the diarrhea ratio (P < 0.05). Similarly, when compared with CON, LBPs dietary supplementation increased serum immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, interleukin-10, interleukin-2, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels (P < 0.05). Dietary LBPs enhanced the activity of serum total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase, and decreased malondialdehyde levels (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis showed a distinct separation between CON and LBPs groups, but no differences between ABO and LBPs groups. LBPs addition increased Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium (P < 0.05) levels, while it decreased Enterococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae (P < 0.05) levels. Furthermore, when compared with the CON group, LBPs increased villus height (P < 0.05) and the villus height to crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and jejunum (P < 0.05). Thus, dietary supplementation with LBPs improved growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immunity, regulated intestinal microbial composition, and may be used as an efficient antibiotic alternative in weaned piglet feed.

Effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on the photoinduced autophagy of retinal pigment epithelium cells.

To investigate the relationship between autophagy and apoptosis in photoinduced injuries in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and how Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) contributes to the increased of RPE cells to photoinduced autophagy. In vitro cultures of human RPE strains (ARPE-19) were prepared and randomly divided into the blank control, model, low-dose LBP, middle-dose LBP, high-dose LBP, and 3-methyladenine (3MA) groups. The viability of the RPE cells and apoptosis levels in each group were tested through cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) method with a flow cytometer (Annexin V/PI double staining technique). The expression levels of LC3II, LC3I, and P62 proteins were detected with the immunofluorescence method. The expression levels of beclin1, LC3, P62, PI3K, P-mTOR, mTOR, P-Akt, and Akt proteins were tested through Western blot. LBP considerably strengthens cell viability and inhibits the apoptosis of RPE cells after photoinduction. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway is activated because of the upregulation of the phosphorylation levels of Akt and mTOR proteins, and thus autophagy is inhibited. LBP can inhibit the excessive autophagy in RPE cells by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways and thereby protect RPE cells from photoinduced injuries.

Effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on the proliferation and differentiation of primary Sertoli cells in young rats

Sertoli cells (SCs) provide physical support and material supply for germ cells and participate in the formation of blood-testis barrier. The number of SCs is directly proportional to the number of germ cells. And mature SCs ensure the growth of germ cells and the production of sperm. In this study, we explored the effect and underlying mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on primary SCs in young rats. Primary SCs were isolated from the testis of 20-day old rats. The cells were then treated with different concentrations of LBP. Immunocytochemistry was used to detect the expression of Ki67 and the androgen receptor (AR), and western blotting was used to detect the expression of cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), AR and phosphorylated Akt (Ser473) in SCs. The number of SCs increased significantly after LBP treatment, and the 100 mg/mL. LBP group had 14% more cells than the control group. The expression of Ki67 in LBP treated groups also increased significantly. LBP inhibited the expression of cytokeratin 18 in SCs. Besides, LBP increased the expression of AR on SCs and promoted the activation of Akt at the ser473 phosphorylation site. LBP promotes the proliferation of immature SCs in young rats and also accelerates their differentiation and maturation. This seems to be associated with activation of the Akt signaling pathway via up-regulation of AR.

Efficacy of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide in adolescents with subthreshold depression: interim analysis of a randomized controlled study

Subthreshold depression is a highly prevalent condition in adolescents who are at high risk for developing major depressive disorder. In preclinical models of neurological and psychiatric diseases, Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) extracted from Goji berries had anti-depressant effects including but not limited to anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of LBP on subthreshold depression is unclear. To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of LBP for treating subthreshold depression in adolescents, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (RCT) with 29 adolescents with subthreshold depression recruited at The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. The participants were randomly assigned to groups where they received either 300 mg LBP (LBP group, n = 15, 3 boys and 12 girls aged 15.13 ± 2.17 years) or a placebo (placebo group, n = 14, 2 boys and 12 girls aged 15 ± 1.71 years) for 6 successive weeks. Interim analyses revealed that the LBP group exhibited a greater change in Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24) scores relative to the baseline and a higher remission rate (HAMD-24 total score ≤ 7) at 6 weeks compared with the placebo group. Scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (Kessler), and Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) were similar between the LBP and placebo groups. No side effects related to the intervention were reported in either group. These results indicate that LBP administration reduced depressive symptoms in adolescents with subthreshold depression. Furthermore, LBP was well tolerated with no treatment-limiting adverse events. Clinical trials involving a larger sample size are needed to further confirm the anti-depressive effects of LBP in adolescents with subthreshold depression. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou, China; approval No. L2019-08) on April 4, 2019 and was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT04032795) on July 25, 2019.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides Promotes Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Energy Balance in a NAFLD Cell Model.

To explore the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) in a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) cell model. Normal human hepatocyte LO2 cells were treated with 1 mmol/L free fatty acids (FFA) mixture for 24 h to induce NAFLD cell model. Cells were divided into 5 groups, including control, model, low-, medium- and high dose LBP (30,100 and 300 µg/mL) groups. The monosaccharide components of LBP were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography. Effects of LBP on cell viability and intracellular lipid accumulation were assessed by cell counting Kit-8 assay and oil red O staining, respectively. Triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and oxidative stress indicators were evaluated. Energy balance and mitochondrial biogenesis related mRNA and proteins were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Heteropolysaccharides with mannose and glucose are the main components of LBP. LBP treatment significantly decreased intracellular lipid accumulation as well as TG, ALT, AST and malondialdehyde levels (P<0.05 or P<0.01), increased the levels of superoxide dismutase, phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and ATP in NAFLD cell model (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of uncoupling protein 2 was down-regulated and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α/nuclear respiratory factor 1/mitochondrial transcription factor A pathway was up-regulated (P<0.05). LBP promotes mitochondrial biogenesis and improves energy balance in NAFLD cell model.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides attenuate cardiovascular oxidative stress injury by enhancing the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway in exhaustive exercise rats.

Moderate exercise is beneficial to physical and mental health. When the amount of exercise and exercise intensity exceeds a certain limit and reaches the state of exhaustion, oxidative stress levels in the body increase, which can lead to oxidative stress‑associated damage. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide(LBP) is one of the primary active ingredients extracted from wolfberry. Following exhausting exercise in rats, LBP supplements decrease damage to the myocardium and blood vessels, indicating that LBP exerts a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. The Kelch‑like ECH‑associated protein1(Keap1)/NF‑E2‑related factor2(Nrf2) anti‑oxidative stress signaling pathway improves total oxidizing ability; anti‑apoptosis and other aspects serve a vital role. In the present study, LBP intervention was performed invivo and invitro to observe its effect on the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway and oxidative stress‑associated indicators in order to clarify its protective mechanism. For the invivo experiments, 60male Sprague‑Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control and aerobic, exhaustive and exhaustive exercise+LBP (200mg/kg/day) groups. For the invitro experiments, a rat thoracic aortic endothelial cell (RTAEC) oxidative stress model was established using angiotensinII (AngII) and divided into blank control, LBP (3,200µg/ml), AngII (1x10‑4 mol/l) and AngII+LBP groups. For invitro experiments, small interfering (si)RNA (50nmol) was used to transfect RTAEC and induce gene silencing of Nrf2. ELISA, hematoxylin and eosin staining, TUNEL, immunofluorescence, western blotting, immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR were used to evaluate and verify the effect of LBP on oxidative stress indicators and the expression of Keap1/Nrf2 antioxidative stress signaling pathway. The invivo experiments showed that LBP decreased the expression of serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and AngII, as well as apoptosis of blood vessels and cardiomyocytes and expression of TNF‑α in rats following exhaustive exercise. Meanwhile, LBP enhanced expression of the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway and downstream associated protein glutamyl‑cysteine synthetase catalytic subunit (GCLC), quinone oxidoreductase1(NQO1) and glutamate‑cysteine ligase modified subunit (GCLM) in the thoracic aorta and myocardium of rats following exhaustive exercise. In RTAEC invitro, LBP decreased the expression of MDA and TNF‑α in the supernatant, promoted the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and increased expression levels of GCLC, NQO1 and GCLM. Following siNrf2 transfection into endothelial cells, the anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant stress effects of LBP were decreased. LBP was found to enhance the expression of the Keap1/Nrf2 antioxidant stress signaling pathway in endothelial cells, decreasing oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. Moreover, LBP improved the antioxidant stress ability of endothelial cells and alleviated injury of myocardial vascular tissue, thereby protecting the cardiovascular system.

Protective Effect of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides and Capsaicin in Rats With Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Ulcerative Colitis via Anti-inflammation and Antioxidation

Abstract Objectives Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease in the colon, and the prevalence of UC is increasing worldwide. Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) from wolfberry extract has immunomodulatory effects, and act as a prebiotics candidate. Capsaicin (CAP) as an active ingredient of chili peppers has the potential for anti-inflammation and antioxidation. This study investigated the effects of LBP and CAP on anti-inflammation and antioxidation in rats with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: control, UC (DSS), UC treated with 100 mg/kg bw LBP (LBP), UC treated with 12 mg/kg bw CAP (CAP), and UC treated with a combination of 50 mg/kg bw LBP and 6 mg/kg bw CAP (MIX) groups. The treatment of LBP and/or CAP was daily given by oral gavage from week 1 to week 4, and UC was induced by 5% DSS in drinking water for 6 days during week 3. Results The DSS group significantly increased disease activity index (DAI) scores, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the serum and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the colon, and serum lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde (MDA) levels compared with the control group. While the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the serum were significantly decreased in the DSS group. The LBP, CAP, and MIX groups significantly decreased DAI scores on day 6 during the DSS-induced period. Compared with the DSS group, the LBP group significantly decreased serum IL-6 and serum MDA levels, but increased serum CAT activity. The CAP group significantly decreased serum IL-6 levels. The MIX group significantly reduced serum IL-6 and colon TNF-α levels, but elevated serum SOD activity. Conclusions The results suggest that administration of LBP and/or CAP attenuate DSS-induced UC symptoms in rats through the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Funding Sources This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (grant no. MOST 108–2320-B-038–052-MY3).

Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides and Wolfberry Juice Prevent DEHP-Induced Hepatotoxicity via PXR-Regulated Detoxification Pathway.

Environmental di(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is widely used in various industries as a plasticizer, and has been reported to induce reproductive and developmental toxicities in organisms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the detoxification capacity of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) and wolfberry juice (WJ) against DEHP-induced hepatotoxicity. Two groups of rats were purchased to study two different intervention method experiments: LBP (50, 100, 200 mg/kg·bw) intervention before DEHP (2000 mg/kg·bw) exposure, and LBP (200 mg/kg·bw) or WJ (8 mL/kg·bw) intervention after DEHP (3000 mg/kg·bw) exposure. The rats were exposed to DEHP once, while the intervention lasted for seven days. At the end of the intervention, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the related index. The LBP intervention before DEHP exposure experiment (the first experimental method) found that LBP group rats showed a strong capacity toward DEHP detoxification, evidenced by the significant upregulation of activities and concentrations of the partner retinoid, X receptor alpha (RXRα), and downstream regulators Cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1), Cytochrome P4503A1 (CYP3A1), Glutathione S-Transferase Pi (GSTpi), and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1 (UGT1) in a dose-dependent manner. The LBP and WJ intervention after DEHP exposure experiment (the second intervention experiment) found that WJ could downregulate pregnane X receptor (PXR), and upregulate downstream regulators, CYP2E1, CYP3A1, and Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) with the extension of intervention time, to alleviate the toxicity of DEHP. However, the intervention effect of WJ was more obvious than that of LBP. These results suggested that LBP and WJ might be effective detoxification agents against DEHP-induced toxic effects, by activating PXR and PXR-related detoxifying enzymes.

The Possible Inhibition Effect of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharides on Rat Intracerebral Hemorrhage Secondary Neuronal Apoptosis through Intervening Endogenous/Exogenous Pathways of Apoptosis

AbstractObjective The aim of this study was to explore the inhibition effect and possible mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on rat intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) secondary neuronal apoptosis.Materials and Methods High-, medium-, and low-dose LBP (50, 100, and 200 mg•kg) and nimodipine (10 mg•kg) groups were given once daily by 15-day gavage before operation, while the sham operation and ICH groups were given the equal volume of saline. An ICH model was established by autologous blood injection and the neurological function in each group was scored at 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours after modeling. Furthermore, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling analysis was performed to detect neuronal apoptosis, while western blot, immunohistochemistry, and real-time-polymerase chain reaction were used to study the influence of LBP on ICH secondary neuronal apoptosis.Results The neurological function score was significantly decreased after ICH, and the intervention effect of a single drug was not evident. The apoptotic nerve cells increased significantly in the ICH group but decreased considerably in the LBP groups. Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) expression decreased significantly, while B-cell lymphoma 2 expression increased substantially in the high- and medium-dose LBP groups compared with ICH group, suggesting that LBP could reduce the effect of ICH. However, the impact of LBP did not correlate positively with the dose.Conclusion The application of LBP may not significantly improve neurological function after ICH, but it can inhibit rat ICH secondary neuronal apoptosis.

Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Extracted from Lycium barbarum Leaves Ameliorates Asthma in Mice by Reducing Inflammation and Modulating Gut Microbiota.

This study was designed to explore the impact of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on inflammation and gut microbiota in mice with allergic asthma. Mice were divided into four groups: control group, OVA (ovalbumin) group, Con+LBP group, OVA+LBP group. After 28 days of LBP intervention, mice were euthanized and associated indications were investigated. Histopathological examination demonstrated that LBP reduced lung injury. The results of our current study provide evidence that supplementation with LBP in asthmatic mice decreases TNF, IL-4, IL-6, MCP-1, and IL-17A in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Sequencing and analysis of gut microbiota indicated that compared with the OVA group, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were increased, but Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Alistipes, and Clostridiales were decreased in the OVA+LBP group. We also found that gut microbiota were related to inflammation-related factors. Therefore, we speculate that LBP may improve allergic asthma by altering gut microbiota and inhibiting inflammation in mice.

RETRACTED: Lycium barbarum polysaccharides attenuate kidney injury in septic rats by regulating Keap1-Nrf2/ARE pathway

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) are derived from Wolfberry and have antioxidant activities. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LBP for kidney injury in a rat model of sepsis. Male rats were divided randomly to control group (Con), LPS group (LPS), ulinastatin group (ULI), low dose LBP group (LBP-1), middle dose LBP group (LBP-2) and high dose LBP group (LBP-3). After intraperitoneal injection of LPS (5 mg/kg) to make sepsis model (LPS group), 10,000 U/kg ulinastatin were given in ULI group, and 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg LBP was given in LBP-1, -2, -3 group, respectively. Serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and NF-κB levels were measured by ELISA. Nrf2, Keap1, NF-κB, HO-1 and NQO1 expression levels were detected by PCR and Western blot analysis. We found that LBP decreased the levels of NF-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokines while attenuated kidney injury. In addition, LBP regulated Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway in the kidney. In conclusion, LBP attenuates inflammation injury in the kidney via possible regulation of Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling.

Protective functions of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides in H2O2-injured vascular endothelial cells through anti-oxidation and anti-apoptosis effects.

Cell injury in the cardiovascular endothelia caused by oxidative stress is among the major inducers of endothelium dysfunction and serves an important role in initiating cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, protecting and improving the normal function of endothelial cells are considered key measures against CVDs. As a traditional Chinese medicinal component, Lycium barbarum is regarded to have high medicinal value. The present study aimed to investigate the potential anti-apoptosis and anti-oxidation effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) on injured rat artery endothelial cells, to demonstrate the experimental and medicinal values of LBPs. In the present study, the aortic endothelial cells of rats were cultivated and randomly divided into five groups: A control group, H2O2-injured group (H2O2 group), H2O2+LBPs (110 µg/ml) group (low-dose group, LT), H2O2+LBPs (220 µg/ml) group (medium-dose group, MT) and H2O2+LBPs (440 µg/ml) group (high-dose group, HT). Among these, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) were detected by colorimetry. Additionally, the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were detected by western blotting. It was observed that SOD activity and NO content decreased while MDA content increased significantly in the H2O2 group (P<0.05 vs. control); that SOD activity in the MT and HT group, and NO content in all three LBP groups were increased, while MDA content in the three LBP groups was decreased, compared with the H2O2 group (all P<0.05); that Bcl-2 expression decreased significantly in the H2O2 group while the expression of Bax increased significantly compared with the control group (both P<0.05); and that Bcl-2 expression in all three LBP groups increased, while Bax expression in the MT and HT groups decreased compared with the H2O2 group (all P<0.05), with these altered Bax levels being statistically similar to those in the control group (P>0.05). On light microscopy, the cells in the control group exhibited spindle-shaped morphology, consistent sizes, defined boundaries, and distinct nuclei of equivalent sizes with round or oval morphology. Additionally, the chromatin in the nuclei was evenly distributed, and all cells were adhered in a paving-stone arrangement. Notably, only few cells died. Conversely, the cells in the H2O2 group exhibited signs of damage and enlarged gaps, and focal cells died. In the HT group, the cells once again appeared adherent and exhibited similar morphological status to the normal cells. Overall, these results indicate that LBPs serve a protective role in oxidative-injured vascular endothelial cells through anti-apoptosis and anti-oxidation effects.